Mr. Speaker, as I indicated many times in the House last week, when I receive a proposal it is given to the appropriate department or agency. That is in fact what took place in this case and it is what will take place in any other case that I deal with.

Mr. Speaker, when older workers lose their job we know they have a hard time getting back into the workforce. Former employees at the Fruit of the Loom plant are in this situation. These older workers, most of them women, were unable to find another job after the plant was closed.

Could the minister tell us what the government is doing to help them get back into the workforce?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada realizes that some older workers who lose their job need additional help finding work. This is why the government is investing over $30 million in pilot projects for older workers, $11 million of that in Quebec. This money is being put to good use.

We have a $900,000 pilot project to help 95 former employees of Fruit of the Loom find and keep new jobs. With our assistance, these employees will be able to acquire new skills and get back into—

Mr. Speaker, it is a terrible thing to be in opposition without a government. So far the Prime Minister has not told us why he fired the finance minister but the message for ministers seems to be not to become too influential or too powerful or they will be called to come for Sunday dinner and by the way, they will be the main course.

Does the Prime Minister not see that the problem is not that some ministers are rivals? The real problem is that some of the ministers are guided by his own questionable ethics.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, the firings will continue until morale improves, I am sure.

On one front the Prime Minister is bitter at the media and at opposition parties about being questioned over his ethics. On the other hand, he is bitter at leadership rivals because they are becoming too influential in challenging his divine right to rule.

Instead of bullying his rivals and fixing the blame, when will the Prime Minister start fixing the ethical problems that he has created?

Mr. Speaker, we have questions from a party that does not want to have a committee of this House of Commons to look into conflict of interest for everybody in the House of Commons, including members and ministers and Senators.

They do not want that. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to reveal anything of his last campaign. He has argued time and time again that nothing should ever be revealed of political contributions.

Mr. Speaker, again let us be very clear about this. The files with respect to the sponsorship program between 1997 and 2000 are under active review by the department of public works. The auditor general has announced a government-wide examination. Police references are being made if and when required.

The administrative problems that may have existed will be fixed, any overpayments that may have been made will be fully recovered, and if there were offences committed they will be fully investigated and fully prosecuted under the law.